There are vehicles provided with tire spats (resistance reduction member), which reduce the air resistance on wheels even during high-speed travel to improve fuel economy and aerodynamic performance.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-202795 describes a technique of attaching a reinforcement member for preventing deformation due to traveling air, on a tire spat enlarged to improve aerodynamic performance. Part (A) of FIG. 7 shows a tire spat 101 including such a reinforcement member. The tire spat 101 is attached to a lower surface of the vehicle body in front of a front wheel FW, with an attachment plate 107. The tire spat reduces the air resistance on the wheel FW, by receiving traveling air on a plate-shaped wind receiving plate 108 extending vertically downward from the attachment plate 107, and preventing traveling air from hitting the wheel FW. Also, in the tire spat 101, a support plate 111, which is formed into a right angled triangle in side view, connects a surface of the wind receiving plate 108 on the vehicle front side and the attachment plate 107, to reinforce the tire spat 101 to keep it from being toppled toward the vehicle rear by wind pressure applied thereon during high-speed travel of the vehicle. Note that multiple support plates 111 are arranged on the wind receiving plate 108, at predetermined intervals in the vehicle width direction.
As shown in part (A) of FIG. 7, when a vehicle 100 is parked from the front, the enlarged tire spat 101 may interfere with or override a lock L provided in a parking area. Part (A) of FIG. 7 shows a state where the tire spat 101 has overridden the lock L. When the tire spat 101 overrides the lock L, the lock L applies a force pushing from front to rear on the wind receiving plate 108, relative to the movement of the vehicle. At this time, a pulling force acts on the support plate 111 fixed to the wind receiving plate 108, whereby damage such as a crack may occur in the support plate 111 and peripheral parts thereof.
Also, as shown in part (B) of FIG. 7, when moving the vehicle 100 rearward (arrow R direction) and out of the parking area, the lock L abuts on the vehicle rear side of the wind receiving plate 108, and a load inverted from that at the time of parking is applied on the wind receiving plate 108. Since the reinforcing support plate 111 is provided on the surface of the wind receiving plate 108 on the vehicle front side, warpage of a lower end part of the wind receiving plate 108 toward the vehicle front may be inhibited by the attachment plate 107. If the vehicle is moved rearward in this state, force concentrates in the attachment plate 107, and the lock L may pull the tire spat 101 apart from the vehicle body, as indicated by a broken line in part (B) of FIG. 7.